She's a Flame
by general73
Summary: Cinna is overwhelmed by Katniss's appearance at the pre-Games interview.


When Katniss walked out on stage for her interview, Cinna forgot to breathe. He had been confident of his work when he created her costume for the night, yes, but he had not been able to appreciate her appearance properly from close up. From the main platform where he sat with the other stylists, she looked surreal. Her nervous manner and her appearance made her desirable as she stood with Ceasar Flickerman.

_Oh, Katniss, if you only knew the effect you have right now._

Then Caesar asked his first question. "So, Katniss, the Capitol must be quite a change from District Twelve. What's impressed you most since you've arrived here?"

Her eyes searched desperately for Cinna's, and when she found them, he conveyed encouragement with all his might.

_I'm here. Trust me, Katniss. You're golden._

When she managed to say "the lamb stew," Cinna knew she was telling him, because no one would admit that the food was the more impressive aspect of the Capitol, even someone from District 12.

"The one with the dried plums?"asks Caesar. "Oh, I eat it by the bucketfull " He turned toward the crowd then, looking horrified, his hand on his stomach. "It doesn't show, does it?" A good laugh from the crowd appeared to satisfy him.

Next question. "Now, Katniss. When you came out in the opening ceremonies, my heart actually stopped. What did you think of that costume?"

Cinna moved involuntarily to the edge of his seat, desperate to know Katniss's feelings on that subject. If she had any idea how she'd looked... how she'd looked to him... She hesitated, catching his eye again, and he raised an eyebrow in questioning.

"You mean after I got over my fear of being burned alive?" Katniss asked.

A big laugh from the audience proved to Cinna that he was not the only one overwhelmed by that girl.

"Yes. Start there," Caesar said.

"I thought Cinna was brilliant and it was the most gorgeous costume I'd ever seen and I couldn't believe I was wearing it," she admitted.

The smile that statement drew from Cinna threatened to split his skull if it were released. Somehow, he was not at all sure how, he suppressed it to a grateful, relieved, satisfied, barely perceptible smile.

"I can't believe I'm wearing this either," Katniss added.

A thrill of excitement rushed through Cinna's body. _She's pleased. She likes my work. She appreciates it. She appreciates me._

As she spread her skirt for the audience-and especially Caesar- to see, she said, "I mean, look at it!"

_I am looking at it. I'm looking at you, Katniss._

Then he decided to take the risk. The stylist made the tiniest circular motion with his finger. Of course she knew what he was asking.

_Twirl for me._

And when she spun, he was nearly overcome with delight. The oohs and ahs when she merely spread her skirt were nothing compared to the reaction to the single twirl.

"Oh, do that again!" was Caesar's response. And Katniss complied.

As she twirled, the dress seemed to engulf her in flames, seemed to truly be on fire. The cheers from the crowd are not even necessary for Cinna to know how he felt.

_Congratulations, Katniss. You are fantastic. And as far as I care or could wish for, you are, indeed, the girl on fire._

Cinna struggled to recover himself before Caesar came to the next personal question.

"Don't stop!" Caesar exclaimed when Katniss stopped twirling.

"I have to, I'm dizzy!" Katniss replied, giggling.

Caesar wrapped a protective arm around her, and Cinna felt a small twinge of jealousy.

_I'm your stylist; I think I'm sort of entitled to be the closest to you through this whole pre-Games mess. Caesar is unavoidable, I understand, but don't forget that I care._

"Don't worry, I've got you. Can't have you following in your mentor's footsteps," Caesar Flickerman assured her.

The cameras found Haymitch as the crowd laughed and hooted. He waved and pointed back to Katniss. Of course, Cinna heartily agreed that Katniss's thunder shouldn't be stolen in that interview.

"It's alright," Caesar joking assured the crowd. "She's safe with me. So, how about that training score? E-le-ven. Give us a hint what happened in there."

Katniss glanced up at the Gamemakers seated in the balcony and bit her lip in a way that Cinna found thrillingly adorable. "Um... all I can say, is that I think it was a first."

"You're killing us," Caesar said, almost as though he was truly in pain. "Details. Details."

Katniss's response made Cinna laugh to himself: she looked up at the balcony and said, "I'm not supposed to talk about it, right?"

One Gamemaker shouted back with feeling, "No, she's not!"

"Thank you," Katniss replied. "My lips are sealed."

_Your lips are sealed. Your lips. Yes, they are._

"Let's go back then, to the moment they called your sister's name at the reaping," said Caesar. "And you volunteered. Can you tell us about her?"

From the look on her face and the expression in her eyes when she turned to him, Cinna could guess how she felt about this question. But he knew, and he could not hide the sadness as he returned her gaze, waiting for the answer as though he had asked.

"Her name's Prim. She's just twelve. And I love her more than anything," Katniss replied.

The City Circle was deathly quiet, and when Caesar continued, Katniss stopped looking at Cinna to answer the questions. He was asking questions Cinna would never have asked. There was no need to give him the answers anyway; he was not that close to her.

"What did she say to you? After the reaping?" is Caesar's next question.

Cinna could see that Caesar's queries upset Katniss. Of course, there was nothing he could do, so he sat there, feeling helpless.

_Why does he always insist on asking those questions? She is never going to see Prim again, so why distress her on-air?_

There was a pause before she replied. "She asked me to try really hard to win."

Silence continued to reign, the audience hanging on every word.

"And what did you say?" Caesar prompted.

_Stay calm, Katniss. You're nearly through with all this. Just answer and stay composed until you're finished._

At last, after a longer pause before, during which Cinna was aware that she tensed considerably, she responded, voice low, "I swore I would."

_Do you realize what that means, Katniss? How can you lose now? You've sworn, and such an oath is not so easily broken._

"I bet you did," was Caesar's reply as he gave Katniss a squeeze she could not have appreciated. Then the buzzer sounded, and Cinna let out his breath. He didn't know how long he had been holding it. Katniss walked off-stage, but as soon as she was seated, she glanced up at her stylist for reassurance. Though he was brimming with approbation and pride concerning her performance, he hazarded only a subtle thumbs-up. It appeared to satisfy her.

_Oh, Katniss Everdeen. You're going to win, I just know it. You're strong and beautiful, but you're more. You're brave, kind, and awe-inspiring. If only you knew how I feel when I look at you. The girl on fire. _My_ girl on fire._


End file.
